"Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit. "
~ Jawaharlal Nehru

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Ayurveda - A Life of Balance ~ Maya Tiwari

Romola Butalia reviews Maya Tiwari's book, Ayurveda - A Life of Balance
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass
Price: Rs. 595       ISBN:81-208-2076-2


Maya Tiwari's Ayurveda - A Life of Balance, is an authoritative manual on the Vedic principles of health and nutrition, written by an expert in the field who has academic knowledge of the subject, is a practitioner and teacher with wide experience who can speak to both beginner and professional alike, and has personally transformed her life through her practices. Her own life is, in essence, the ideal of Ayurveda - a life of Balance.

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This book is true to the ancient science of Ayurveda, one of the four upa-Vedas which deals with the science of health as a subsidiary to Self-realisation. Tiwari's work also reflects current concerns and practical application to contemporary lifestyles. In this book, the writer follows the principle of Ayurvedic diet and use of wholesome foods to suit individual body-types and temperaments, while adapting them, taking into consideration universal flavours.

Our bodies are directly related to the food we eat, and by knowledge of the ingredients and their impact according to our personal requirements, we can achieve harmony and well-being for our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual koshas or sheaths. Her own understanding and appreciation of the importance of individual, collective and cosmic memory and the deep search to unravel the hidden science and mystery of continued life is the underlying focus of much of her work. As Tiawri says, "According to the Rishis, from pure consciousness arose the sound of Om. In turn, the five Great Elements take birth. These five elements take the form, in the human body, of the three doshas, or bodily humours." In other words, the food we eat, contains within it, the genetic memory of life, and becomes the bridge to our cosmic roots.

Maya Tiwari Tiwari provides a thorough profile of the seven body types and the foods best suited to each. Her book explores and explains the personality or psycho-spiritual attributes of the Ayurvedic body types. Along with recommended food charts, menus related to the seasons and cycles of nature, and easy-to-follow recipes catering to body types, the book is a practical guide to healthful eating according to Ayurvedic principles. Through 'food sadhanas' Tiwari stresses on the importance of sadhana or spiritual practice bringing to life awareness of the Self through all our actions.

Through this book, Maya Tiwari brings Ayurvedic principles into our kitchens, changing perspectives and lifestyles through the basic building block of the food we eat which determines who we are and our deeper recognition of it.


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Editor: Romola Butalia       (c) India Travelogue. All rights reserved.